Giants' First-Round Bust Might Not Be a Bust Anymore

New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks entered the 2026 NFL campaign knowing it was his last chance.

Banks was essentially benched last season, playing in just 44 percent of the Giants' defensive snaps. And while that was a different coaching regime, it's not like John Harbaugh though it was entirely unreasonable.

That was why New York declined Banks' fifth-year option on his rookie contract, which will make him a free agent after this season.

But back in the early stages of the Giants' offseason program, we heard talk about Banks being rejuvenated in Dennard Wilson's new system. So much so that he appeared to be aiming for a starting job again.

It sounded ridiculous at the time given just how poorly Banks had performed since being selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but the 25-year-old did, in fact, ultimately win a starting job heading into 2026 ... and he has succeeded thus far.

That was clear as day on Sunday, when Banks sealed New York's 36-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals with a pick-six, which followed an egregious pass interference penalty that was called on the University of Maryland product.

Banks was outstanding in the victory, finishing with four tackles and four passes defended to go along with the interception.

He has now logged six passes defended in just two games (he missed two games due to a calf injury), which is more than he totaled in all of last season.

Banks has posted a 71.1 overall grade at Pro Football Focus and owns a 77.1 coverage grade, which ranks seventh among cornerbacks.

Is it still very early in the season? Yes. Is it an incredibly small sample size of two games? Of course. But it's hard not to notice the difference.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Banks had all of the physical tools coming out of college, and Wilson insisted that he could make use of Banks' talents in his press-heavy scheme.

Thus far, it has worked, and you can clearly see the increase in confidence on the part of Banks, who some felt could be trade fodder after 2025.

The Giants entered the campaign with major question marks in their secondary, and Banks was one of them. But through four weeks, New York actually ranks 10th in the NFL in pass defense and is allowing an opposing passer rating of just 85.7.

Jevon Holland has been the top player in Big Blue's defensive backfield, but Banks has also been a significant reason for the turnaround.

We'll have to see if Banks maintains his level of performance, but as of right now, the player who looked like a colossal first-round bust may not be such a bust anymore.